SAMA For All
Souad Nanaa is a social entrepreneur, director and cofounder of SAMA For All. She is a Syrian refugee living in France for the past four years.
Prior to creating SAMA For All, she served for 16 years as business development Executive, Sales & Marketing, and market research expert in contract catering services in the United Arab Emirates. She practiced corporate governance through innovative and structured system implementation and achieve to attain social targets through CSR program. She was awarded the Emirates Environmental Group Volunteer Prize in 2008.
She also worked as director film acquisitions in Egypt, and prior to that she worked in sales & marketing for leading 5-star hotels in Syria.
She holds a master degree in Translation in French, English & Arabic, and bachelor degree in French literature from Aleppo University in Syria, she graduated in hotel management in Rome, Italy.
She speaks Arabic, English, French & Italian.
In host societies, refugees often struggle in finding employment, especially when they already have professional experience and diplomas from their home countries.
The project aims to facilitate and accompany refugees/migrants in finding professional opportunities in the cultural sector, by highlighting their skills and competences and how they can participate in enriching the local culture by bringing theirs.
SAMA For All promotes cultural diversity, builds bridges of dialogue, and cultural exchange, repairing gaps by improving the image of refugees in the French society and using culture as a leverage for expression and inclusion.
We involve the local community in solving this problem and play a role in social cohesion.
By developing employability skills and helping refugees to find a job, he will contribute to his host country and restart a stable life and prosperous future.
Our methodology relies on revealing the potential of newcomers by helping them to achieve their dreams.
The problem of any newcomer in the host country is finding an appropriate work which guarantees a decent life.
Our solution offers support based on civic and institutional engagement.
We have implemented since 2017 a partnership with two museums (Orsay & Orangerie) in Paris under the name “MAHATTA”. The program aims to engage unemployed refugees and migrants in discovering the professional ecosystem in the museum industry, more specifically by becoming tour guides. The program also provides access to SAMA’s community in order to increase the participants' social capital.
As MAHATTA offers this ecosystem, SAMA operates French classes to support beneficiaries in acquiring the specific vocabulary related to the art and culture industry to boost their access to employment.
In 2017- 2018: 17 trainees from 9 nationalities joined the program, eight candidates obtained a job interview, and four out of eight candidates received a job offer.
In 2019: 18 trainees from 5 nationalities, seven candidates were interviewed, one beneficiary signed an employment contract.
In 2020: 20 trainees from 11 nationalities have joined the training program. The program is still running, and one beneficiary has already signed an employment offer.
SAMA For All is a non-profit organization that exists to create employment opportunities for refugees/migrants. It has been founded by a Syrian refugee and two French citizens.
Most refugees/migrants have the potential to restart their professional careers in their host country and pursue their future. But they have difficulties in finding and sustaining a decent job.
Our main activities are:
1. A structured and tailored training program “MAHATTA” in cultural mediation for refugees with two strands: cultural and professional in collaboration with parisien museums (Orsay & Orangerie) through a partnership agreement concluded in October 2017.
2. Specialized French courses on art and culture to emphasize the linguistic competency of the beneficiaries.
3. Conversation club: whereas the beneficiaries practice French with locals, the goal is to develop self-confidence and easiness to speaking in front of an audience.
4. Cultural & social activities: aiming to raise awareness, foster relationships and bridge the gap between the newcomers and the locals, and ensure a more prosperous future for generations to come.
Our beneficiaries are refugees and migrants coming from different backgrounds.
Our program is entirely free of charge.
Our solution serves the refugees in France by facilitating their integration in their host country and helping them to resettle their life with dignity.
Our endgame is to shift empathy toward opportunities both for migrants and locals.
The project makes a change in the life of our beneficiaries, gives them hope, turns passive to active, aims to create employment opportunities in the cultural sector for refugees, facilitate interactions and shift narratives and perceptions in French society.
Most newcomers lack a local experience in the labor market, an adequate level of language, a social and professional network, and potential contacts. We help them reach the next stage “call for action”.
Refugees face obstacles to access jobs and training. As a refugee I had to face this issue, besides the prejudgment of the local community.
Based on my personal experience, I am aware of the needs, barriers and challenges faced by refugees to attain a wellbeing. That’s why I share my expertise along with the other founders to address their needs by a continuos search for new partners and their engagement in our solution.
Our beneficiaries are our ambassadors, they are contributors to our mission.
- Elevating opportunities for all people, especially those who are traditionally left behind
Beyond the honor and the privilege of being selected, we are convinced that the Elevate Prize is a unique opportunity to share as peers with other civic leaders willing to change the world.
It started on a personal level, my story is like the millions of refugees who used to be doctors, engineers, executives, etc... I was looking for a solution that would enable me to restart my life in dignity and peace and have a safe place and stable future.
In 2017 I was granted the refugee status in France, and since then, my journey of searching for an appropriate job started.
Despite, my diversified professional experience, a high level of French language in addition to English, Italian, and Arabic, I could not find a job. I’ve kept for months sending hundreds of CVs left and right, but no answer or a regret letter.
I was frustrated, depressed, and angry for months without any hope.
My goal shifted after the period of frustration from job seeker to job opportunity creator.
I’ve joined an incubator program as an entrepreneur for six months to create an independent entity.
I invested my soft and hard skills and sharing my expertise with two founders to create “SAMA For All”;
As founders, we have different backgrounds; but one same vision “passionate about making a difference in other people’s lives’’.
It started on a personal level, my story is like the millions of refugees who used to be doctors, engineers, executives, etc... I was looking for a solution that would enable me to restart my life in dignity and peace and have a safe place and stable future.
In 2017 I was granted the refugee status in France, and since then, my journey of searching for an appropriate job started.
Despite, my diversified professional experience, a high level of French language in addition to English, Italian, and Arabic, I could not find a job. I’ve kept for months sending hundreds of CVs left and right, but no answer or a regret letter.
I was frustrated, depressed, and angry for months without any hope.
My goal shifted after the period of frustration from job seeker to job opportunity creator.
I’ve joined an incubator program as an entrepreneur for six months to create an independent entity.
I invested my soft and hard skills and sharing my expertise with two founders to create “SAMA For All”;
As founders, we have different backgrounds; but one same vision “passionate about making a difference in other people’s lives’’.
As a refugee person with experience as a newcomer to France;
I know all the obstacles that commonly faced, I experienced the deception, the frustration, and the aspiration of refugees. I believe I am the right person to solve the problem of refugee settlement.
I could adapt to the multicultural team, thanks to my international work experience in different countries and with people of different backgrounds.
By living and working in many countries such as Syria, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Italy, and France allows me to meet new people, new experiences, and new cultures and widen my horizons and make new friends.
Today I am Familiar and have knowledge and interest in many parts of the world’s culture; network and communicate with a widening spectrum of people at a different level of seniority.
I gain leadership skills through 25 years of professional experience in the different industries including hospitality, contract catering management, and multimedia production and distribution in the Middle East and GCC countries.
I bring my management experience in a multicultural context my ability to adapt,I effectively communicate in different languages like Arabic, English, French, and Italian,that increase the network in a multinational environment.
My role as community team leader in Dubai, UAE help me to manage a group, team or project.
To set up an innovative social business model requires entrepreneurial skills, I believe my competencies and past work experiences are well aligned with my role as director for SAMA For All.
In 2016 I arrived directly from - UAE to France, where I’ve lived and worked for 16 years. It was a tough decision to start from the scratch. But I did not have a choice, my employment contract terminated, and I had one month to leave. I did not have a place to go, my country was at war. Luckily, I had a Schengen visa, so I submitted my papers as an asylum seeker.
The first challenge for me was the failure of penetrating the job market. I did not give up, I kept searching for solutions and I did not want to rely on public aid, I wanted to prove to myself that I could adapt and reveal my resilience. I transformed this failure to success with limited human and financial resources, put SAMA For All on the road map of the non-profit world, we competed against big organizations, and we succeeded to receive the first fund from the French ministry of culture.We participated in the BridgeBuilder Challenge organized by OpenIdeo, we reached the short-listed tier.
In December 2019, the organization has been selected as one of the Top Ideas, and we received grant of $200.000 from GHR Foundation.
I was a team leader of community support services for five years in addition to my main job as a Sales Manager at Abela & Co in Dubai UAE (2007-2012).
During these years I was coordinating and leading 32 senior and executive managers in executing more than 82 social activities arranged by our company, by Governmental bodies, and NOGs such as clean up campaigns, Walk for Autism, travel by Metro campaign, recycling program, spending a day in the seniority house, etc.
I was responsible for leading and supporting the team, maintaining effective communication with the governmental bodies, private sector, and NGO activities related to civil society.
I led the 32 managers committed to contributing to society, participate in at least five activities per year. My tasks included managing, planning, and organizing the yearly action plan of the activities; support a range of people with a disability, and an understanding of their complex needs.
I was an active volunteer member with various NGOs in the United Arab Emirates.
Winner of the Emirates Environmental Group volunteer of the year award 2008.
This rich experience taught me the leadership skills that I used during the creation of our organization.
- Nonprofit
SAMA For All is an independent entity.
On operational level, we do have a partnership agreement with Orsay & Orangerie museums in Paris to train the refugees in the cultural mediation.
On financial level, we do have a partnership agreement with the French ministry of culture.
On financial level and technical support, we do have a partnership agreement with GHR Foundation and OpenIdeo.
On personal level I’ve joined the accelerator program with SINGA France aiming to develop the organization and take it to next level.
As a social change maker, we create an innovative social solution to resolve the problem of refugees' employment in their host country.
We do not have for the time being a competitor(s) in our domain
Our solution is unique because is a complete package, it's like a triangle where each side complete the other: societal, cultural and economic integration, this combination leads to a complete social cohesion of the refugees.
The problem of any refugee is not only access to food and shelter which are the basic of any human being; it’s how he/she could restart his/her life in the host country?
Most of refugees whose I know, or I've met, don’t like to depend on the governmental aid, they want to get a suitable job that enable them to live in dignity and contribute to his/her community.
I consider myself a change maker, aiming to shift narratives and perceptions about refugees and migration.
- Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons
- 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth
- France
- United States
The current number we are serving for 2020 is 20 beneficiaries.
In one year, the number will be 40 beneficiaries.
and in five year the number will be 200 beneficiaries.
Our goals within the next year will be:
- Create a new sector of activity that will allow us to increase the number of beneficiaries.
- Open the specialized French classes for a new category of public.
- Develop the training program in collaboration with museums to meet the needs and the expectations of our beneficiaries.
- Apply key indicators to know the impact of the training program on the beneficiaries’ lives.
Our Goals within next five year will be:
- Diversify our activities
- Develop SAMA For All on an international level.
- Create online Specialized French Courses.
-The limited public and private funding.
- Attracting and retaining the right talent to develop and expand because of not having enough funds
- The organization is running only by one person as a full time employee.
- We do not have enough human resources allowing us to develop our activities and expand to other territories
A secure fund will help us to recruit more people.
- By looking for coaching and consulting in the cultural sector.
- Increase our visibility to get more people interested and involved in our activities.
- Securing a new fund
- Involve the local community in our solution.
We do have a partnership agreement with two museums (Orsay and Orangerie) since October 2017.
We signed a partnership agreement with the French Ministry of Culture since June 2019.
We signed a partnership agreement with GHR Foundation in December 2019, in addition to a fund for 3 years, we have the chance of having their mentorship and coaching.
The mission of SAMA For All is to promote professional integration in the cultural sector for refugees and migrants.
Value proposition for our Beneficiaries in term of impact:
A complete and personalized package to discover professional opportunities in the cultural sector plus:
- Social integration with other refugees and locals.
- Develop Professional network & key Contacts
- Integrate their families in our cultural activities
Value proposition for our Beneficiaries in term of revenue
- A Sustainable job that enabling them to be independent and economical contributors to the community
Value proposition cultural institutions (the community)
- A chance to play their role to integrate refugees in their CSR policy (social opportunity), to recruit new employees with diverse skills (languages, public speaking, etc.) and offering multicultural views(business opportunity),
The program has 3 components:
- A structured and tailored training program in cultural mediation for refugees in Orsay & Orangerie museums in Paris with a monthly conference visit for 9 months, 3 days of intensive course on cultural mediation’s techniques.
- Specialized French courses on art & culture to emphasize the linguistic competency of the beneficiaries. 3 hours per week conducts by professional French teachers.
- Conversation club: the goal is to develop self-confidence and speaking in front of an audience.
- Cultural & social activities: aiming to raise awareness, bridge the gap between the newcomers and the locals, and ensure a more prosperous future for generations to come.
The project provides the beneficiaries a socio-economic integration.
The actual financial status of our organization is based on donations and grants as follows:
- Revenues
- Membership fees on yearly basis
- Institutional funds for one year
- GHR Foundation fund for three years
To ensure the sustainability of our project, we plan to develop a service providing a direct revenue that combined with donations and funding.
To sustain the mission of the organization and serve the community the current program will remain entirely free of cost for our beneficiaries (refugees).
Thus, the strategic plan is to diversify the curriculum of specialized French classes covering wider sections of art and culture to attract new audiences willing to pay for this training service.
This plan will be executed in two phases:
1. First phase: the classes will be off-line on the theory test & learn
2. Second phase: the classes will be on-line and attract new public
SAMA For All has received a fund of $ 4418 from the French Ministry of culture in one-year (2019).
SAMA For All has been selected as one of the 5 Top Ideas BridgeBuilder by GHR Foundation and has received a grant of $200.000 allocated for 36 months as follows:
For 2020 $ 55,000
For 2021 $ 65,000
For 2022 $ 85,000
In addition, we have the technical support provided from GHR Foundation and OpenIdeo.
Yes, we do seek funds that allow us to secure our financial stability and enable us to develop the organization and increase the number of beneficiaries.
With adequate funding, our project will evolve, and allow our team to be financially secure, and challenge us in thinking of our business model for coming years, and ensure the sustainability of SAMA For All.
Fixed Costs/Overhead
Item Amount
Rent $ 4,639
Phone bills/communication $ 265
Accounting/bookkeeping $ 11,045
Legal/insurance/licensing fees $ 110
Cost of transport $ 924
Advertising & Marketing $ 1,232
Salaries $ 38,703
Fees for External expert $ 4,175
Variable Costs
Material & supplies $ 775
Cost of events $ 11,046
Cost of travel $ 2,430
Cost of small equipment $ 1,657
Other
Contingency $ 720
Other $ 616
Grand total $ 77,001
The training program with museums is the key value proposition and the benchmark of our organization, our priority is to maintain existing partnerships with Orsay & Orangerie museums and to expand to other Parisian museums in Paris. To take the project to the next level, we require human and financial resources. Should we be selected for the fund, we will invest it in:
- Hiring three full-time employees to help us execute the strategic plan, strength the ties with community and bring on board new funding as well as strengthening our communication strategy.
- Developing our online learning programs of specialized French courses to attract a wider public providing a direct revenue.
- Expand and develop activities to other cities in France and internationally.
- Funding and revenue model
- Mentorship and/or coaching
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Marketing, media, and exposure
We would be honored and privileged to be selected by the Elevate Prize, we believe we share the Elevate prize’s values and we would join other selected organizations that share the same values and learn from their experience.
As per our mission ''creates employment opportunities for the refugees/migrants in the cultural sector'', with your partnership, we could reach wider public and increase the number of beneficiaries of our program, develop our activities to other cities and countries.
Additionally, we would benefit greatly from mentoring especially in our scaling strategy and impact driven mission. Our biggest weakness is the lack of concrete social impact measurement strategy and we aim to create the ultimate logical framework to constantly learn from our impact.
We would like to partner with The Andan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion.
SAMA For All exists to create an employment opportunity for the refugee in the cultural sector. Why culture?
Culture is in the mind of people for the elite and not for refugees, we want to break the prejudices. Refugees do not only need shelter, food, but also culture because they have a rich culture.
The project responds to the need for cultural and socio-economic integration of the newcomer in the host country.
I am a refugee and I know very well how it is difficult to find a job and start from scratch.
During the confinement period, most of the refugees were in a vulnerable situation, in anxiety and fear and they suffered from the lack of technology tools to stay in connection. Most of them couldn't follow our French classes online.
"Andan Prize for innovation in Refugee inclusion" will help us to provide our beneficiaries with solutions that help to improve their life.
And, we would like to partner with all organizations fostering inclusion and cohesion of newcomers in the host country mainly the refugees.
Director & Founder